One sits Zazen with the sense, deep in the bones, that each single instant of Zazen embodies all time, all times and every time.
While sitting Zazen, "past" flows into "future," "future" flows into "past," now flows into then and then is just precisely now, all embodied within this moment of Zazen as the "Grand Central Station" where all tracks meet!
No less, this Zazen embodies all the happy times and sad times too, whatever happened long ago that we cry over or long for, whatever we hope or fear might come tomorrow ... all cherished, all held in equanimity.
Further, one moment holds each moment holds all moments within every moment.
All this, held naturally and without a thought inside every passing second of Zazen.
As well, Zazen is beyond all measure, free of all moments. So, please stop all judgements and time counting. Please give up thinking that "long" sitting is better than "short," that "good" moments are better than "bad" moments of sitting. Although we sit for a certain number of minutes each day as fulfilment of a vow, and we hope for pleasant conditions, it is vital that we simultaneously drop all measures from mind, put the clock completely down, stop weighing "good vs. bad" ... for each single sitting of Zazen is perfectly just what it is. There is no "before" or "after," "better" or "worse" than this razor's edge, tip of a pin of Zazen.
Even so, sometimes we sit various lengths, we set the timer, sometimes for a few minutes, for hours, sometimes for days on end at Sesshin, for each experience is unique, offering its own panorama, it's own time just what it is. This was Master Dogen's feeling of "Being-Time," with each thing, all things, each instant and all instants its own unique flavor of being in its own precious time, all swallowed up and held within Zazen and all our lifetime. Being-time is embodied-time, embodied-being.
Then, dropping all thought of "before" vs. "after," and even dropping all thought of "now" ... just sit, beyond and through all sense or measure of time. This timeless is embodied in every drop of Zazen, deep in the bones. The time of Zazen does not tick away even as it flows. A spark's flash of Zazen or 10,000 years of Zazen are just the same, yet we sit right on time each time for a certain time.
I do not mean not to use a clock. I use a clock for most sittings (sometimes not). I mean that clock or no clock, Zazen is all times and timeless beyond measure.
It is vital that our "How to Sit" instructions in expressing Shikantaza not neglect this all times, every time, each time, just what it is time and timeless embodied in the timeless times of sitting. Each sitting is the right time, and each time is right sitting, all right timeless too.
Sorry for taking up your valuable time and running long.
Gassho, J
STLah
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